CURRENT EVENTS

I lifted in the raw bench press and raw deadlift, 181.7 to 198 lbs. category, aged 70 to 74.

In my age/weight category, I took first place in both the raw bench press and raw deadlift. In the deadlift, I set a new AAPF age/weight national record of 363.7 lbs.

BOOKS OF THE WEEK

The 21 Indispensable Qualities of A Leader

By John C. Maxwell

This book is a bit old, it came out in 1999 and although the title indicates it is about leadership; in a sense all of us are leaders in one way or another, even if we don’t bear the official title indicating we are a leader.

What struck me was the part of the book’s description that reads, “John C. Maxwell provides a concise, accessible leadership book that helps readers become more effective leaders from the inside out.” Who doesn’t need to work of their insides or to gain a deeper understanding of humans.

I first read this book long ago and have recently taken a second look at it and found insights such as, “It’s hard for a person to be generous when [they] are not satisfied with what [they have]. And if you’re not generous with little, you won’t suddenly change if you become wealthy.”

MOVIES OF THE WEEK

I thought this ad was better than the movies I watched this week.

Step Jamie – Progressive Insurance Ad

MUSIC OF THE WEEK

I certainly didn’t work as hard getting ready for the AAPF National Powerlifting competition as Rocky did getting ready for his fight, but since November I have worked harder at the gym than I ever have to get ready for the AAPF Nationals.

Rocky Theme Song

ART OF THE WEEK

I’d say this tree is a bit of an artist.

  EXTRAORDINARY PERSON OF THE WEEK

Pericles

Pericles (495 – 429 BC) was a prominent and influential Greek statesman, orator and general of Athens during its golden age. Pericles led his countrymen during the first two years of the Peloponnesian War. The period during which he led Athens, roughly from 461 to 429 BC, is sometimes known as the “Age of Pericles”.

Pericles promoted the arts and literature; it is principally through his efforts that Athens acquired the reputation of being the educational and cultural center of the ancient Greek world.

He started an ambitious project that generated most of the surviving structures on the Acropolis (including the Parthenon). This project beautified and protected the city, exhibited its glory, and gave work to the people.

Bill & Carol at the Acropolis

Pericles also fostered Athenian democracy. He, along with several members of his family, succumbed to the Plague of Athens in 429 BC, which weakened the city-state during a protracted conflict with Sparta. (Source: Wikipedia)

THIS WEEK’S JOKE

This answers the question.

PHYSICAL TRAITS

Other than some terrible accident or birth defect, I don’t understand why anyone would want to change the interesting features that nature provides and are often the thing that makes you both interesting and unique.

CHARACTER TRAITS

It was the great Athenian leader, Pericles, who said that there was nothing wrong with poverty. It could be caused by so many things—a business failure, the sudden loss of a family’s breadwinner, theft, even just plain old back luck. Like the Stoics, he knew that Fortune could swoop in, and, in the blink of an eye, undo years of hard work and careful planning.

But Pericles would not have said, as religious leaders and populist demagogues have tried to argue for thousands of years, that there was anything special or holy about poverty. While it wasn’t necessarily someone’s fault they were poor, and so they shouldn’t be judged for it, Pericles said, there was “real shame…in not taking steps to escape it.” (Source: Daily Stoic)

SOCIAL TRAITS 

LEARNING TRAITS

MISCELLANEOUS

LAST WEEK’S POLLS